More Advanced Breast Cancer in Hispanic Women due to Delayed Treatment

In recent research presented at the Science of Cancer Health Disparities Conference hosted by the American Association for Cancer Research, it was found that Hispanic women wait longer to treat their breast cancer, allowing that cancer to advance and worsen. The research suggested that the delay in treatment is a result of these women having no or minimal health insurance, language barriers and lack of understanding of the importance of breast health. In many cases, Hispanic women feel uncomfortable seeing a male doctor for treatment of breast cancer or exams, with many husbands having a strong influence over that decision. To get around this problem, many hospitals have started to make sure that Spanish-speaking female doctors are available to these women so that detection and proper treatment are possible.

For Hispanic women that know little or no English, it is nearly impossible to understand advertisements, commercials, public service announcements and other educational information that is aimed at the English-speaking public. However, many breast cancer awareness and education campaigns have now started to focus on Hispanic women of all ages, providing the necessary information these women need and encourage them to get screenings and medical attention if something is detected. Increasing awareness of how serious breast cancer really is throughout the Hispanic population will hopefully push more women to have regular mammograms and lower the rate of advanced cases of breast cancer for these women.

One study of 230 Mexican-American women in Texas and Arizona being treated for breast cancer found that about two-thirds of these women discovered their breast cancer themselves through self-examinations or obvious changes in their breasts, instead of through a mammogram or doctor visit. In addition, about half of these women waited more than one month to speak to a doctor after seeing changes in their breasts or noticing that something was different. The study makes it apparent that these women are not receiving regular mammograms or other exams to detect breast cancer at an early stage, which may be a result of a lack of insurance. However, with more focus being placed on breast health for Hispanic women, many centers now offer free screenings and clinical trials for women with breast cancer. Women of all backgrounds are also urged to reduce their risk of breast cancer by staying at a healthy weight, keeping physically active, limiting consumption of alcohol and reducing fat intake, among other things. Breast cancer treatment is most effective when the cancer is caught early on. If you or someone you love has been harmed by a delay in diagnosing or treating breast cancer, our cancer malpractice attorneys can help. Your initial consultation is FREE and there is NO FEE to you unless we recover money. Please call Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today. Our firm serves clients throughout New York, including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk.

Call us toll-free 1-877-ASK4SAM and visit www.ask4sam.net